Professional Development and Advancement Manager (Closes 11/2/26)

Summary

The Professional Development and Advancement Manager is a member of Community Family Advocate’s Youth Support Partner (YSP) Unit, an affiliate of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS). The unit employs young adults as Youth Support Partners, who are former recipients of services from DHS, to work with youth and young adults actively receiving DHS services. The focus of this effort is to positively engage youth and mentor empowerment and self-advocacy skills. These skills are developed and utilized in planning for the youth’s current situation and future planning. 

The Professional Development and Advancement Manager oversees the professional development and advancement opportunities for all staff within the YSP Unit. Working collaboratively with members of the leadership team, this newly developed position will be built from existing models and develop a stronger culture and plan for professional development of all staff, including skill building for current roles in the YSP Unit and pathways for educational or professional advancement for the future. This individual will bring a wealth of experience working on professional and workforce development that will strengthen the unique model of the YSP Unit. Incumbent works collaboratively with a team of individuals committed to strengthening the operations and functions of the YSP Unit staff. This position fosters the strength-based approach and culture of the unit and refines the challenges that the YSP Unit faces.

The primary responsibilities of Professional Development and Advancement Manager are to ensure a comprehensive approach and implementation of professional development and training for the staff, as well as for staff education and career advancement opportunities.  Local and long-distance travel is required.

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position

If hired for this position, you would be an employee of our partner agency, Community Family Advocates working onsite at Allegheny County DHS.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee the planning and implementation of professional development services, including planning, training and tracking efforts for all staff within the YSP Unit.
• Facilitates workforce development opportunities for staff, including planning, training and tracking for staff and unit growth.
• In collaboration with the leadership team, leads the planning and rollout of professional development collaborations to help all staff obtain the tools to achieve goals in the YSP Unit and for ongoing education and professional opportunities, including for when staff are no longer Youth Support Partners.
• Engage in supporting supervisory staff with identifying professional development or career advancement opportunities for their staff.
• Develops and maintains an internal calendar and tracking tools for all training, coaching and educational opportunities for all staff.
• Arranges for training and coaching on various topics are needed for YSP Unit staff and offers training/coaching, as needed.
• Facilitates the development and maintenance of a system to evaluate the skill, experience and professional development needs of all staff and the unit overall.
• Prepares and delivers reports on staff professional development, coaching, training, accomplishments, challenges, etc.
• Coordinates projects, peer mentoring/coaching, activities and case supervision of the Youth Support Coordinators.
• Helps to develop the unit’s strategic plans, both current and annual and helps set unit goals for 1, 3, and 5 years out with the leadership team.
• Assists with the development of YSP Unit Training and Curriculum materials and manuals.
  • Develop external training materials for conferences
  • Develop external training materials for DHS staff
  • Responsible for delivering/facilitating external training, including training for CYF new hires
• Demonstrates initiative in seeking out appropriate resources and pursues professional advancement for staff at a variety of levels; secures and maintains relevant coaching credentials (i.e. HFW credential, SFW, LSFW, etc.) and ensures all staff are aware of their coaching requirements.
• Helps to enhance the unit’s excellence by establishing benchmarks, timelines and resources needed to achieve strategic goals around staff professional development and career advancement.
• Instills a sense of accountability among all team members by helping role model performance and holding staff to individual and organizational performance standards.
• Serves as an active member of the Youth Support Partner Unit leadership team.
• Gathers and shares statistics, data, information, etc. on relevant topics for the YSP Unit and staff.
• Assists with recruitment and hiring for the YSP Unit
  • Assist with interviewing
  • Developed and maintains internal hiring procedures (interview matrix & application) as well as supporting documents
• Assists with supervision of Senior YSPs, including helping them implement different projects
• Help supervisors and managers brainstorm and be solution-based to tackle issues with their direct support
• Advise staff during Integrated Coaching Planning meetings to improve their stability – discuss topics like credit & financial wellness; education goals; parenting and relationships; housing; and other short/long term goals staff have / teach life skills
• Assist staff with their educational goals
• Responsible for assisting staff with their own content creation for workshops/trainings & meetings
• Facilitate TRIAGE and TUESDAY TALKS
• Attend youth visits with staff
• Organize volunteer activities for staff and organize team-building sessions.
• Retool YSP materials for easier use

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has supervisory responsibilities over Senior YSP’s The Professional Development and Advancement Manager is expected to exercise initiative and independent judgment in the supervision and direction of this staff.   Assigns deliverable job priorities and reviews work produced for quality and efficiency.

Additional Responsibilities

From time to time the employee will be required to perform additional tasks and duties as required by the employer.                                

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience with professional development.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to inspire by example.
• Deep understanding of adult learning styles and how to make/offer alternative means of learning.
• Knowledge of professional development and adult learning styles.
• Experience with planning and supporting career advancement
• Ability to take directions and show commitment to getting the job done.
• Possess strong problem-solving skills, along with the ability to find creative solutions to problems/issues.
• Demonstrated coaching and training experience, plus knowledge about professional development.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to take the initiative and follow through.
• Knowledge of community resources.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills, as well as strong presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience working with and fostering teams, including working with youth and young adults in a respectful and engaging manner.
• Ability to hold oneself accountable, as well as the staff one supervises.
• Knowledge and understanding that a strength-based approach to working with young adults is a key strategy for ensuring their successful preparation for adulthood.
• Ability to challenge and debate issues of importance to the organization.
• Ability to look at situations from several points of view.
• Ability to delegate responsibilities effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds in a culturally competent manner.
• Excellent computer skills; proficient in Excel, Word, Outlook and Access.
• Ability to work at a high level of independence, with minimal supervision and function with flexibility.
• General understanding of human resources, with an emphasis on employee performance improvement plans and corrective action policies.
• Strong attention to details.
• Consistently advocate and embrace the YSP Unit’s mission and guiding principles.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, consistent with applicable law.

Education/Experience Requirements

Master’s degree in a related field, plus two years of professional experience working in a human services or related field, including one year of supervisory experience, along with demonstrated success in conducting coaching, training and professional development services.

-OR-

Bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus four years of experience working in a human services or related field, including three years of supervisory experience, along with demonstrated success in conducting coaching, training and professional development services.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Act 33, 34 and FBI clearances.

-AND-

Valid driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle are required.

Why DHS?

DHS is diverse, but we strive to be even more inclusive. This includes equity in hiring and advancement, as well as in unleashing the creativity and ideas of staff at every level of DHS. It has strong, assertive leaders. We do not hire yes-people.

You can make a big impact here. We stand out as one of the best human services organizations in the country. But we need problem-solvers, innovators, and terrific leaders to make sure we are smart in how we use our funding so that we reach the people who most need our help to make their lives better.

“DHS strives to be the kind of place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come to grow and do their best work.”

-From the organization’s statement on Equity and Inclusion

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER -M/F/V/D